Although TDN's original story about that Oct. 12 commission meeting didn't have the space to cover all aspects of the ongoing bickering among the Arizona Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (AZHBPA) and Turf Paradise's owner, Jerry Simms, one subplot is worth further mention here, because its irony resonates at the federal level (and perhaps soon all the way to the United States Supreme Court).

Lloyd Yother, the president of the AZHBPA, alleged on Thursday that Simms is so far behind in making necessary repairs and upkeep that a new, incoming owner would never be able to open Turf Paradise for a race meet in January, a target date that Simms has said is perfectly reasonable as he attempts to execute a purchase-and-sale agreement with a buyer who has thus far refused to speak publicly about the deal at Arizona commission meetings.

In particular, Yother and Simms sparred verbally over the specific issue of whether or not extensive repairs are needed for the main track railing, with Yother claiming the fencing is not up to spec and Simms countering that Turf Paradise had fixed problems related to a non-compliance warning issued by the Horseracing Integrity and Safety (HISA) Authority earlier this year after an inspection turned up “numerous gaps and exposed edges in the railing material that could inflict serious harm upon jockeys…”

Darrell Haire, the western regional manager for The Jockeys' Guild, told commissioners on Thursday that the Turf Paradise rail during the 2022-23 season “was patched up the whole meet. And I don't know what condition it's in now, because it's just getting older. It's just deteriorated. So I believe that it has to be replaced. The patchwork they did was finished the last week of the meet, and it was supposed to be done at the beginning of the [last] meet.”

Haire's points are well-taken. But to understand where things got interesting in this particular argument, you have to widen the lens to encompass the HBPA's 2 1/2-year-old legal quest to kill off HISA over alleged constitutional violations. Keep that court fight in mind when considering what Yother next suggested at that meeting:

“I have a recommendation that maybe we ought to ask HISA to come back in and take a look at the track, to maybe get a step ahead of some of the delays that we're encountering now,” Yother said. “If we get HISA to send somebody in to look at the track [we can] see what's going to have to be done before anybody will be able to race, whether it be current owner, future owner, or whatever.”

Yes, that's the president of an HBPA affiliate, whose own organization–plus its national parent and 11 other HBPA affiliates–have written in court documents that the HISA Authority functions like “a private police department” with sweeping powers that equate to “oligarchic tyranny,” now calling upon that very same Authority to intervene when the AZHBPA needs an entity with federal clout to advocate for its own cause.

This unlikely juxtaposition of the AZHBPA asking the HISA Authority for help while it's simultaneously trying to eradicate that regulator and its enabling law would be stunning were it not overshadowed by the truly dire overall predicament that Arizona racing now faces.

'Notion' is 'Great' in two states

Saturday's win by Witty in the $100,000 Maryland Million Turf Sprint S. over 5 1/2 furlongs at Laurel Park extended an impressive streak set by Great Notion, the state's top stallion by progeny earnings every year since 2018 (and the leader so far this season). His offspring have now won at least one Maryland Million Day stakes in 14 runnings of that event, dating to 2010.

But the Maryland Million win wasn't even the biggest payday for a Great Notion-sired runner in a state-restricted stakes on Saturday. Later that evening, Coastal Mission splashed home by 5 3/4 lengths in the $300,000 Sam Huff West Virginia Breeders' Classic at Charles Town. Despite racing beyond seven furlongs for the first time, the 4-year-old was pounded to 1-5 favoritism and delivered by wiring the field over the three-turn, nine-furlong distance.

Owned, bred and trained by Jeff Runco in partnership with his wife, Susan (Coleswood Farm), the win was the sixth straight for Coastal Mission. The gray has won nine of his last 10 dating to December, with all of the victories coming at Charles Town. His lone defeat was a fifth back in March when the gelding ventured to Laurel for a stakes engagement. In West Virginia, he's scored in state-bred stakes, open allowances, and also in the open-company $250,000 Russell Road S. last time out.

Coastal Mission's lifetime mark stands at 11-3-1 from 16 starts, with $572,728 in earnings.

Bred, owned, and trained by Elizabeth Merryman, Witty is a 4-year-old half-brother to last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint victress Caravel (Mizzen Mast). She was also bred and initially trained by Merryman prior to joining trainer Brad Cox for owners Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables.

On Sunday, the 6-year-old Caravel just missed giving her dam, Zeezee Zoomzoom, two six-figure stakes winners on the weekend. She ran second as the odds-on favorite in the GII Franklin S. at Keeneland.

Jockeying for Graded Stakes

Flavien Prat won that aforementioned Franklin S., closing the gap to one victory in the North American jockey race for most graded stakes wins in 2023. Heading into the lucrative Breeders' Cup championships, this battle is shaping up as a two-rider run-off, with Irad Ortiz, Jr., (36) narrowly ahead of Prat (35).

Through Sunday's races, the next closest jockeys are Juan Hernandez (24), Luis Saez (21), then Tyler Gaffalione and Joel Rosario (20 each).

Ortiz has ridden in 11 more graded stakes than Prat. Interestingly, Hernandez is the top percentage rider among the leaders, winning graded stakes at a 31% clip from only 77 chances (everyone else mentioned has ridden in at least 121 graded stakes).

Last year Ortiz topped Prat 50-42.

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Ain't Da Beer Cold (Freedom Child), dismissed by the betting public at 36-1, led the field until the quarter pole under Jevian Toledo when Market Maven (Super Ninety Nine) seemingly put him away. But Ain't Da Beer Cold refused to quit, digging in and reclaiming the lead a half-furlong later.

Just after the dueling duo crested the eighth pole, Market Maven slanted inward after Carlos Lopez delivered two stern right-handed cracks of the whip. Then that gelding dropped farther toward the inside, bumping the rail-running Ain't Da Beer Cold once. The two continued in lockstep, bobbing noses as the line loomed, with the stubborn Ain't Da Beer Cold refusing to relinquish a slim advantage until the all-out Market Maven wore him down in the final six jumps to the wire.

The stewards never lit the inquiry sign but Toledo claimed foul, leading to the reversal of the finish positions and a jubilant trip to the winner's circle for the breeders/owners Matt Spencer and Kelly Jo Cox, plus co-owner Bonuccelli Racing and trainer Kenny Cox.

Ain't Da Beer Cold was a difficult horse to figure on paper. The 5-year-old had been beaten an aggregate 99 1/4 lengths in his last five starts. He had finished eighth in two previous editions of the Maryland Million Classic and hadn't won a race since the summer of 2022 at the Timonium fair.

“We just went in there hoping he would show up,” Cox said. “He's had terrible form. We've had a bunch of excuses, and I don't like making excuses.”

But after conferring with the owners, Cox decided to give Ain't Da Beer Cold one more shot in the Classic prior to a winter turnout.

“This is better than the [GI] Preakness [S.],” Spencer said post-win. “It's a dream come true. This horse is all heart. Toledo says he's going to the lead and let's see what happens. Let's see how far he can go. Thankfully we got put up. I didn't think it was going to happen. The racing gods were good to us today.”

The victory was Toledo's fourth on the Oct. 14 Maryland Million card and his third in that afternoon's eight stakes.

Timed in 1:52.39 over a dirt track that had been downgraded to “good” by rain after first being rated as “wet fast” and then “fast,” it was the slowest Maryland Million Classic since that stakes began being carded at 1 1/8 miles in 2009.

Yet the rain showers weren't enough to water down the turf course condition from “firm,” nor did the moisture dampen the chances of front-runners, who swept the two grass route stakes.

The $125,000 Turf over nine furlongs produced a deja-vu result. Last year Wicked Prankster (Mosler) cleared the field, looked certain to be swallowed up late, then resurged to win this same stakes by three-quarters of a length. Wicked Prankster had been 0-for-5 since, but the betting public backed him to second choice in the wagering (2.8-1) to repeat.

Jockey Yomar Ortiz, riding the 5-year-old for the first time for owner/trainer Sam Davis, sent his gelding to the lead and made sure he stayed on under pressure, again winning by three-quarters of a length, stopping the timer in 1:48.28.

“Sam told me to break good and get to the front, take it easy and relax,” said Ortiz. “I had a lot of horse left at the quarter pole. Turning for home, I knew I had it.”

Country Life Farm & Broken Trust Fund bred Wicked Prankster.

It was the same running style and same three-quarters winning margin in the $125,000 Ladies S. at nine furlongs on the lawn. Precious Avary (Divining Rod) shot straight to the front and never looked back in 1:49.53, extending her lifetime mark on the turf to 3-for-3 for owner/breeder Smith Farm & Stable, trainer Tim Shaw, and jockey Silvestre Gonzalez.

Off at 3.3-1 odds, the 3-year-old filly is a New Jersey-bred with a Maryland sire, so that gives her dual access to Maryland Million conditions and New Jersey-bred opportunities. Over the summer, Precious Avary won two restricted allowances and a “J-bred” stakes at Monmouth Park.

“I knew if she ran similar on the lead at Monmouth she would be tough today,” Gonzalez said. “She broke sharp with her ears perked and was happy. I was thinking she'd sit second as there might be speed from the outside, but she went on. Around the turn I asked her for run and she went about her business.”

The two juvenile stakes, both carded at six furlongs, produced clockings only one-hundredth of a second apart, with the fillies (track “fast”) fractionally edging the boys (track “good”).

The $100,000 Lassie S. for 2-year-old-fillies stood out from a “bombs away” perspective, with Miss Harriett (Blofeld), the lone first-time-starter in a field of 13, igniting the tote board at 62-1.

AIN'T DA BEER COLD ($75.00) was hot in the $150,000 Maryland Million Classic at @LaurelPark. This 5-year-old gelding was conditioned by Kenneth Cox with Jevian Toledo in the irons. Congrats to the connections! pic.twitter.com/galbJERbpk

— TVG (@TVG) October 14, 2023

Piloted by Jean Briceno, Miss Harriett forced the pacemaker from post 12, took over at the quarter pole, braced for the challenge of the dead-aim favorite, lost the lead at the sixteenth pole, then determinedly clawed it back in the shadow of the wire to score by a neck in 1:12.23.

The win represented the third straight Maryland Million juvenile stakes score for Blofeld, whose progeny swept both 2-year-old events in 2022. Miss Harriett was bred by David Baxter, is owned by Narrow Leaf Farm, and is trained by Brandon McFarlane.

The companion $100,000 Nursery S. for 2-year-old males featured a polished performance by Catahoula Moon (Golden Lad) that belied his relative inexperience and 4-1 odds.

Locked and blocked but full of run behind a wall of five horses at the head of the stretch, Xavier Perez deftly guided Catahoula Moon's distinctively jagged-blazed head off of heels of the frontrunners, then knifed the colt through an opening to pulse on past, leaving the field (and Perez's dropped crop) 4 3/4 lengths behind in 1:12.24.

Bred by Angela Coombs, Catahoula Moon is owned by Super C Racing and trained by John Robb.

In the $100,000 Distaff S. at seven furlongs, even-money Intrepid Daydream (Jess's Dream) seized the lead at the top of the stretch and sprinted clear to run her lifetime record to 6-3-1 from 12 starts. The three-length triumph in 1:24.62 was her third straight win for breeder/owner Paul Fowler Jr. and trainer Gary Capuano. Toledo rode.

The 4-year-old filly might have had a more difficult time drawing into the race than she did winning it, requiring scratches to get in.

“I didn't know we were going to be in. I was rushing around trying to get here and see the race,” Fowler said. “She ran like we expected. She usually shows speed and today she took back a little bit, relaxed and went on with it. It's pretty amazing, because it's a long road.”

In the $100,000 Sprint S. at six furlongs, Seven's Eleven (Bandbox) pressured the pacemaker, then brushed and bumped with that rival in upper stretch before strong-arming him into submission and widening a winning margin to five lengths in 1:10.49.

The 3-year-old gelding is a homebred for Cottonwood Stable. Carlos Mancilla trains, and Angel Cruz rode. The gray was coming off an 8 1/2-length allowance romp over seven furlongs and had little trouble shortening to three-quarters of a mile at 4.9-1 odds.

In the $100,000 Turf Sprint S. over 5 1/2 furlongs, Witty (Great Notion), a 4-year-old half-brother to last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint victress Caravel (Mizzen Mast), pounced from last at the quarter pole and barreled up a wide-open rail, blasting past four contenders at the sixteenth marker to run his record to 6-7-0 record from 18 starts. The winning time was 1:02.64.

Bred, owned, and trained by Elizabeth Merryman, Toledo was aboard for the 1 ¼-length score at 7-10 odds.

Witty's victory represented the continuance of an impressive 14-year streak set by Great Notion, the state's leading stallion by progeny earnings every year since 2018 (and the runaway leader so far this season). His offspring have now won at least one Maryland Million Day stakes in every running of the event since 2010.

Witty's older sister, Caravel, will try to complete a sibling stakes double at Keeneland on Sunday. She's the 9-5 morning line favorite in the GII Franklin S.

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McCue runs EHM Stables with her sister, Evelyn Martin, offering lessons, boarding, lay-ups, sales and leases. In addition, McCue is very active in pony racing. She maintains a large stable of ponies and is an avid participant in the U.S. Pony Racing meets held throughout the year in the Mid-Atlantic.

McCue will be honored at this year's Jim McKay Maryland Million, which will take place at Laurel Park Oct. 14.

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A son of Parker's Storm Cat, Ben's Cat did not debut until his 4-year-old season after breaking his pelvis at two, an injury that required six months of stall rest. He won his first two career starts in claiming company and his first eight overall for owner,  breeder and trainer King T. Leatherbury, including the first three of those black-type victories. He won the Maryland-bred Mister Diz S. a half-dozen times from eight starts in the race, the Jim McKay Turf Sprint on five occasions and the Maryland Million Turf Sprint H. three times. He was a graded-stakes winner each year from 2011-2014, all in turf sprints at Parx Racing. In 2017, he was awarded the Secretariat Vox Populi Award, chosen by voters from around the world.

Janon Fisher, Jr.'s Mountain Dew was a star foxhunter before switching to timber racing in the early 1960s. He won the Maryland Hunt Cup three times (1962, 1965 and 1967) with rider Janon Fisher III and was runner-up in 1963, 1964 and 1966. He was injured at the 19th of 22 fences in the 1968 Hunt Cup when leading and remarkably continued to jump fence 20 while being pulled up. Mountain Dew competed in 24 sanctioned timber races and never fell. He was injured in a single start on the flat as a 3-year-old.

“We are so proud that, with this year's inductees, we are able to celebrate not only two of our most important Maryland-bred horses, but Maryland's remarkable horsemen and the diversity of our sport that they represent,” said Cricket Goodall, executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association. “King T. Leatherbury and the Fisher family are great examples of the persistence and longevity that Maryland is known for.”

This year's inductees will be celebrated during a ceremony between races at Timonium Race Course Saturday, Sept. 2.

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“I've been thinking about it the last couple of years. This business, for me anyway, it's all I do,” Capuano, one of the leading trainers in Maryland history, said. “I've reached a point in my life where I want to do some other things besides get up at 4 o'clock in the morning and work six or seven days a week. It's time for me to do something else and enjoy myself.”

The 60-year-old Capuano is 22nd on the all-time wins list among trainers with 3,661 and his horses have earned more than $68 million in purses. He has topped the $1-million mark in season earnings 34 times, including each of the past 30 years.

Over his distinguished career Capuano led all Maryland trainers in annual wins eight times (1991, 1997-98, 2001-04) and won a total of 31 meet championships at its major tracks, Laurel and Pimlico Race Course.

His first winner was Who's Lucky at old Bowie Race Course Feb. 21, 1981.

An eight-time graded-stakes winner, Capuano extended his record as the most successful trainer in Maryland Million history to 15 wins when 2-year-old Johnyz From Albany captured the Nursery S. Oct. 22.

“I don't look at it like I've really done all that much. I've never won a Grade I, I never won a Classic-type race. Those things never happened,” he said. “We've had some pretty nice horses. Racing's been good to me and I've had a good career where I've been able to make a decent living doing it and doing what I really love to do. Those are all great things.”

Capuano was born into the family business, a son of late longtime owner and breeder Phil Capuano. He and his brother, Gary, were raised on the family's farm in the Prince George's County town of Upper Marlboro and began attending races at an early age.

Among his best horses have been 1990 GIII Trenton H. winner Wind Splitter, a horse he considers among the best he's ever trained, who ran 11th in the 1989 GI Kentucky Derby. Heros Reward was a two-time Maryland Horse of the Year who won or placed in 13 stakes, captured three graded-stakes and earned $1.3 million from 2005 to 2013. Others include Grade II winners Prized Stamp and Miss Mischief and multiple stakes winners Just Call Me Carl and In the Curl, the latter finishing in the money in 64 of 85 lifetime starts with nearly $750,000 in purse earnings.

“What's really kept me going is I've had great clients pretty much my entire career. That makes life so much easier,” Capuano said. “People like Lou Ulman, we've been together over 30 years. Steve Newby, Neil Glasser. Unfortunately some of them have passed away that were with me in the beginning–Harvey Linden was really helpful for me in the beginning of my career.

“There's so many I could name. Now we have Mopo Racing with Maury Povich, just great, great people to work with. Super C Racing. I don't want to leave anybody out,” he added. “It just makes my job so much easier when you have great people to work with.”

Phillip Capuano, son of trainer Gary Capuano, is more than ready to take over the stable, his uncle said.

“He's been with me in the barn every day since Delaware closed, and he's worked for me before, so he kind of knows my routine and he knows the horses,” Capuano said. “He always handles the horses for Gary at Delaware every year. When we shipped to Delaware he always took care of everything there for us. We usually kept a couple horses with him up there each season, so he knows my owners and he knows the horses. I think he'll just step right in on Jan. 1. Like I told my employees, it'll just be a different person behind the desk. Phil's a great kid. He's a hard-worker, honest, and he'll do just fine. I have no doubts about that.”

As for his retirement plans, Capuano said, “Just rest a little bit, because I haven't had a vacation in about five years. I'll probably take some trips around different places and start to live a little bit. Get myself back in the gym and get back in shape like I need to be, and work on myself a little bit.”

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The one-of-a-kind facility, honoring the robust history of horses in Maryland and serving as a hub for educating the next generation, is housed in the Maryland Horse Breeders Association (MHBA)'s building. The stately brick structure with large, white columns, was originally built in 1876 as the Grace Methodist Church South, and later housed Reisterstown Federal Savings and Loan, Shaw's Antiques, various realty groups and another Living Faith Chapel, before it was purchased by the MHBA in April of 2020.

It was only fitting that a building with such a storied past would add a new chapter to its legacy as the permanent home of the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center, representing a collective vision and years-long culmination of work by the Maryland Horse Foundation (MHF), the MHBA's staff, boards and committees, and Cricket Goodall, executive director of the MHBA and Maryland Million Ltd.

“We had several different opportunities over the years that didn't work out and I thought, maybe it's just not going to work out, maybe I'm not going to get this done,” said Goodall, who has worked for the MHBA since 1986 and has served as executive director since 2003. “It was certainly a long-term goal of mine, but really it was sort of fate, I guess, that the right spot came along, and that we had the right board of directors that were willing to take the next step to commit and own something. Even the timeframe, [dealing] with COVID, low interest rates and a whole bunch of other things that we couldn't have ever planned for, it all came together at the right time.”

Walking up onto the porch and through the double set of doors, visitors will find themselves stepping into a facility entirely dedicated to Maryland's diverse and expansive horse industry, featuring a 5,000-book reference library covering a wide range of history, breeds, disciplines, genres and collections. The building also boasts a soundproof media room, research room, conference room/meeting area, a children's activity area and a section that's home to a variety of memorabilia.

The center is a dream turned reality for both the MHBA, whose offices have also found a permanent home in the building, and the MHF, which promotes and oversees a variety of equine industry educational programs as well as operates the library and education center.

Though finding an ideal location to display and share the extensive collection of literature, which has only grown throughout the history of the MHBA, was a main priority, the emphasis on education and creating an inviting place to foster learning, collaboration and future growth was inspired by meetings between Goodall and Jordyn Egan, the former director of development for the MHF.

Egan was an integral part of bringing the right people together to help put the vision for the center to paper, in the form of renderings and plans, along with spearheading the collaboration and support necessary to launch and carry out the capital campaign for the project.

“We put together the narrative of what we really believed it would be and the purpose it would serve for the community, and once we took that message and that vision out, it exploded. We thought this would be a much larger process as far as the capital campaign, but our original goal was surpassed in under a year and it just kept going,” said Egan, now the executive director of the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC).

Once the initial goal was reached, the plans could be put into action, as renovations began to gut the majority of what existed in the front section of the building and rebuild to fit the vision of the center. A few initial plans changed as more walls and a drop ceiling were stripped away, with quite a few adjustments and tweaks made to preserve the original barrel ceiling of the church, revealed during the demolition process. A cozy reading loft and a spiral staircase to access it, above the media and research rooms, was also added in.

The $1-million capital campaign launched in March of 2021 and by that June, the goal had already been reached, which prompted the team to extend the campaign in an effort to raise $2 million. Currently, they've raised just over $1.7 million.

“Not only did we raise enough money to do the project, but we were able to have some money to endow the project in the future and make sure that the programming happens.”

Goodall extends a lot of credit to Josh Pons, president of the MHF, along with Richard Blue, Jr. and Dr. Michael Harrison, who led the process of reaching out to potential donors and bringing in donations for the capital campaign.

“It feels like we've won some great prize that we can then build on, I think that's one of the biggest things. We packaged this idea of Cricket's vision for what this building could be and people were creative enough and had familiarity with other museums and other libraries that they could say, 'We should have something like that,'” said Pons. “It's difficult to argue with the merits of not just the library, but also the education center component.”

The library aspect of the project was a beast of its own, as the MHBA and later the MHF had developed an extensive collection of literature over many, many decades, which came along for the ride as the MHBA moved office locations throughout its history before eventually, the books were sent out to be housed in storage units. Another dream realized was that of finally having a fully-fledged library, where the books could be organized, shelved and shared.

But before all of that could come to fruition, the collection had to be pulled out of storage, sorted by hand and eventually catalogued. The MHBA's research specialist Cindy Deubler, along with Wesley Wilson, who retired in January after more than 50 years with Enoch Pratt Free Library in downtown Baltimore, and a small but mighty group of volunteers handled the daunting task.

“We tried to come up with an idea of how to organize it, because there are many ways with libraries, but it's so specialized that it was very challenging to break it apart and define it more for some of the collections. I contacted Becky Ryder at Keeneland Library and she was super helpful to give me some basics on what they did, what system they used and how they were displaying them on shelves. We used the Library of Congress method, which is what Keeneland uses, and we're putting the catalog online, on the cloud, at libraryworld.com,” said Deubler.

The bulk of the library was pulled out of storage in April, with the organizing process beginning at the end of that month and continuing until late September. After flooring was installed and the shelving units were all put up in the library, the final collection of books was moved into the building while the rest, another 5,000, returned to storage.

“The material is everything. It's all disciplines, so many different breeds, from veterinary care and stable management, really any kind of horse book you can think of. We have a decent fiction section and a lot of our Dick Francis books are first editions signed by Dick Francis,” said Deubler. “We're just trying to keep it diverse and we'll try to keep it fresh.”

The library collection is also highlighted by many rare, unique finds, thanks to donations through the years including: the Selima Room collection from the Prince George's County Library System's Bowie branch; at least a dozen copies of The History of Thoroughbred Racing in America, by William H.P. Robertson; and complete sets of The Jockey Club Racing In America series (which covers racing history from the 1600s to the 1970s).

“Most research materials are online, so you don't see many volumes of that coming in anymore. But one thing we kept are old stallion registers, we have them going back to the '50s. I look at it as a researcher, a history writer, that it's nice to be able to get your hands on that. The Daily Racing Form chart books are very much that way,” said Deubler. “We're not just Thoroughbred, but obviously the big focus of the library is that because of who our donors have been.”

The dream has always been to create a central location where the horse industry across the state, and those looking to learn more and become a part of it, can come together and collaborate. Based on the turnout of the official grand opening of the library and education center, held Friday, Dec. 16, where the public, politicians, members of the horse industry and supportive donors came together to celebrate, there's no doubt that Goodall's dream has been realized.

She only hopes it will grow from there, as the center will not only host the MHF's various educational programs, but hopes to be the home base for a variety of other programs and events.

“It's an important look in the future, because when you're educating people, you're hoping and planning that they're going to be learning and carrying on the future of the horse industry,” she said. “We hope to have everything from author talks to speaker series, along with hosting local community groups and seminars, because that's a lot of exposure for the industry.”

Other unique features include the outer wall of the building adorned with colorful racing silks, representing prominent Maryland connections in flat racing and steeplechase that donated to the project, along with the walls and doorways, both inside and out, which are graced with the names of supportive donors and treasured members of Maryland's horse industry, such as Robert E. Meyerhoff and Nancy Lee Frenkil.

Topped off with a beautiful, blue-sky mural that spans the ceiling, there is no space that more perfectly emulates the importance of preserving Maryland's horse history while also educating and inspiring the next generation.

“You drive by a horse farm and you can't always come in, but you drive by the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center and you can come in, talk to people and find out how to get involved. It's also bringing the horse community together because it's a central resource for all of the different disciplines. This building signifies the togetherness of the Maryland horse industry as a whole, along with its health, importance and heritage. It is incredibly meaningful,” said Egan.

The Maryland Horse Library and Education Center is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.marylandhorse.com.

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Huff, a third-round draft choice of the New York Giants in 1956, discovered racing during his time in New York when he would frequent Aqueduct and Belmont. Huff was traded to the Washington Redskins before the 1964 season and retired in 1969.

After his playing days were done, he devoted more time to thoroughbreds. Along with his partner Carol Holden, he opened Sporting Life Farm in Middleburg, Virginia. Huff was the owner and breeder of Bursting Forth, a winner of five stakes races, including the GIII Bewitch S., the GIII Vinery Matchmaker S. and the GIII All Along S.

“When you have a stakes winner, it's like hitting the lottery,” Huff told the Saratogian in 2001. “It's the most exciting thing I've ever done. More than winning an NFL championship, more than reaching the Hall of Fame. There's nothing like it. That's why people are in this business.”

Huff attended the inaugural Maryland Million in 1986 and liked the concept so much he decided to copy it. In 1987, Holden and Huff launched the West Virginia Breeders Classics run at Charles Town. The 35th edition of the event, held Oct. 9 at Charles Town, featured nine stakes for West Virginia-breds with total purses of $1,075,000.

“When we first started, I never had any idea we could do it for 23 years,” Huff told The Northern Virginia Daily in 2009. “It seems like a long time, but when you're working in it, time goes fast. It's always been a goal to be bigger than the Maryland Million–that was our guide, that's what we copied.”

Until his health started to deteriorate, Huff was the face of the Breeders Classics, always there to pose for pictures, shake hands and present trophies in the winner's circle.

Huff maintained a small stable for years and, according to Equibase, won 15 races as an owner since 2000. He started his last horse in 2015.

“I'm not the kind of owner trainers like,” Huff told the Saratogian. “I am involved. I stay on top of things. There's no way you can be in one part of this business. You have to do it all. I read about the industry all the time.”

“Most knew Sam Huff as an NFL Hall of Famer,” read a tweet from Charles Town. We knew him as an advocate of racing and co-founder of the @WVBClassics. Sam passed away today at the age of 87. He will forever be woven into the fabric of West Virginia racing. Our deepest condolences to all who loved him.”

Most knew Sam Huff as an NFL Hall of Famer. We knew him as an advocate of racing and co-founder of the @WVBClassics. Sam passed away today at the age of 87. He will forever be woven into the fabric of West Virginia racing. Our deepest condolences to all who loved him. pic.twitter.com/xagFzGlbTO

— Race Charles Town (@RaceCharlesTown) November 13, 2021

Huff was born in 1934 in Edna, West Virginia and was the son of a coal miner. His full name was Robert Lee Huff. He became known as Sam at an early age and always maintained that he had no idea where the nickname came from.

He grew up in a mining camp known as Number Nine, outside of Farmington, W.Va. A middle linebacker, he played collegiately at West Virginia, where he became an All-American.

The Washington Post called him the first defensive player to become a superstar in the NFL, saying that he “acquired the visibility and fame previously reserved for quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers.”

During his eight seasons in New York, Huff helped lead his team to an NFL championship in 1956. During Huff's time in New York, the Giants played in six championship games. The Giants' 1958 championship loss to the Baltimore Colts is widely remembered as “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” and is seen as a catalyst for the NFL's popularity.

He was traded to Washington in 1964. He retired before the 1968 season but came back a year later and played in 1969 before retiring again.

“Sam was one of the greatest Giants of all time,” said John Mara, the Giants' President and Chief Executive Officer. “He was the heart and soul of our defense in his era. He almost single-handedly influenced the first chants of 'Defense, Defense' in Yankee Stadium.”

Huff was a five-time Pro Bowler, a two-time first-team All-Pro and four-time second-team selection, and a member of the NFL's 1950s All-Decade Team.

After spending another season with the Redskins as an assistant coach, he worked for the Marriott Corporation as a marketing liaison between the hotel chain and athletic teams.

He also worked with both the Giants and Redskins as a broadcaster.

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A trio of Maryland stallions registered two-win days on the 36th annual Jim McKay Maryland Million program: Great Notion, the state's annual leading sire by earnings from 2018-20, has now sired at least one Maryland Million Day winner for 12 consecutive years. Golden Lad, who entered the day third in 2021 earnings by Maryland-breds, accounted for two main-track winners at six and seven furlongs. The offspring of Buffum, who died in 2019, swept the two juvenile sprint stakes.

Four of the afternoon's eight stakes produced tight finishes with winning margins of less than half a length, including a wild four-way photo in the $100,000 Turf Classic in which noses separated the top three finishers.

And there was even a dramatic touch of reclamation in the $100,000 Ladies S. on the turf: The 2020 winner of that stakes, Epic Idea (Great Notion), had gotten disqualified from her win in May 2021 when the Maryland Racing Commission took the unusual step of voting to overturn a stewards' decision to let the results stand even though Epic Idea had drifted out. After getting demoted to second in that 2020 edition of the Ladies S., Epic Idea gamely avenged that DQ by storming back to win the 2021 version.

Even though Hello Beautiful's 3 1/2-length win in the Distaff S. was not technically the feature race on Maryland Million Day, the 4-year-old was the headline horse. She didn't disappoint as the heaviest favorite of the afternoon, assuming command soon after the start and always controlling the race with an authoritative, freewheeling style that was accentuated by the fillies and mares in her wake being under full-out drives while Hello Beautiful soared home confidently under jockey Jevian Toledo, who was subbing for regular rider Sheldon Russell (broken foot).

“It was really emotional today,” said winning trainer Brittany Russell, who noted she was watching the race with her husband Sheldon, who acted as if he was “riding” Hello Beautiful himself instead of being sidelined. “I'm sure Toledo could feel that help,” she said with a laugh.

“She's so special,” Brittany Russell added. “She keeps running, and she keeps running hard.”

Hello Beautiful is owned in partnership by Madaket Stables, Albert Frassetto, Mark Parkinson, K-Mac Stables, and Magic City Stables. Bred by Hillwood Stables, LLC, she wired the seven furlongs in 1:22.22 over a “fast” main track en route to becoming the seventh horse to win three Maryland Million races.

The Classic offered a contrast in styles. Prendimi had finished second, beaten half a length, in this stakes in 2019, then ran last in a field of seven in the 2020 Classic. On Saturday, he cleared the field from post two, got pressured by a 25-1 shot, then appeared to be well within the striking sights of 3-5 fave Tappin Cat (Tritap) turning for home.

Jockey Mychel Sanchez braced for the attack by rousing Prendimi to a furious drive that lasted the length of the straightaway. Even though the narrow lead of the 6-year-old always seemed in peril, Prendimi (which loosely translates to “catch me” in Italian) kept repulsing Tappin Cat's bids to prevail by a neck in 1:50.46 for nine furlongs. The G J Stable homebred is trained by Luis Carvajal Jr.

“We always had faith in him,” Carvajal said. “He's a big horse, and he doesn't like to be behind horses.”

Epic Idea's half-length score in the Ladies S. was a study in ground-saving placement by jockey Daniel Centeno, who shipped in specifically for this stakes mount.

Centeno picked a spot at the fence and sat fourth with his stalking 7-2 shot for most of the nine-furlong trip over firm going before angling out and splitting horses with the Vivian Rall homebred to win in 1:49.46.

“I just looked back at her form,” said trainer Michael Merryman. “Her best race she ever ran was with Centeno. And we wanted to win it, so I made him fly up from Tampa.”

Merryman took the high road when asked post-race about Epic Idea's seven-months-after-the-fact DQ by the racing commission, which Rall had chosen not to appeal.

“It's a big redemption for us. I have to bite my tongue a little bit right now because everyone knows that that was not right,” Merryman said.

In the Turf S., a 20-1 shot set the pace and nearly half the field had a chance to inhale the caving leader off the final turn.

Somekindofmagician (Street Magician) ended up prevailing by a nose for owner Bell Gable Stable, LLC, trainer Gary Contessa, and jockey Angel Cruz. The 4-1 shot, bred by Earl Barnhart, covered the nine furlongs in 1:49.00.

The $100,000 Sprint S. on the Maryland Million card was won by 7-1 Air Token (Golden Lad), who was claimed as a $10,000 maiden by trainer Jose Corrales for his own outfit (Corrales Racing, LLC) back on Aug. 1, 2020.

That investment has now yielded nearly 30 times the claim price in purse earnings. But Air Token's record also shows that he was disqualified from his only other stakes victory, the $100,000 Concern S. at Laurel on Nov. 28, 2020, because of an overage of dimethyl sulfoxide (the anti-inflammatory drug DMSO). According to the stewards' ruling, Corrales was not fined or suspended because of “mitigating circumstances.”

Saturday's winning ride by J.D. Acosta was orchestrated by conceding the lead after Air Token broke running, then stalking a too-hot pace and tipping out for the drive to win going away by 2 1/4 lengths in 1:09.63 for six furlongs. Carol Ann Kaye was the winning breeder.

The two winners of the Maryland Million juvenile stakes not only shared a sire (the late Buffum), but both also had the distinction of re-rallying after briefly losing the lead.

Buff Hello withstood prolonged pace pressure in a spirited three-way go of alternating leaders under jockey Charlie Marquez to win the $100,000 Nursery S. for owner Joseph Besecker and trainer Claudio Gonzalez. Bred by Sergio Gomez, the 5-1 colt was clocked in 1:10.51 for six furlongs while two lengths clear at the wire.

Buff My Boots scored smartly in the $100,000 Lassie S. by slapping back what appeared to be a winning deep-stretch bid to prevail by half a length under Acosta at 9-2 odds in 1:11.14 for six furlongs. Bred by Hope Hill Farm Maryland, she's owned by Bird Mobberley, LLC, and trained by John Salzman, Jr.

A year ago, both Maryland Million juvenile winners had gone through the ring at EASOCT for relatively modest money: Buff My Boots for $7,000 and Buff Hello for $26,000.

In the $75,000 Turf Sprint S., Grateful Bred (Great Notion) sprinted straight to the lead at 1-2 odds and never had an anxious moment, covering 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:02.29 en route to a 1 1/2-length tally. The Gordon Keys homebred is trained by Madison Meyers. Toledo rode.

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Joseph Besecker's Buff Hello ($13) broke running from his inside draw and never looked back, sprinting clear to a two-length triumph in Saturday's $100,000 Maryland Million Nursery at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

The Nursery for 2-year-olds and Lassie for 2-year-old fillies, each contested at six furlongs, were among eight stakes and four starter stakes on the 36th Jim McKay Maryland Million program, 'Maryland's Day at the Races' celebrating the progeny of stallions standing in the state.

It was the sixth career Maryland Million win for trainer Claudio Gonzalez and second of the day for 18-year-old jockey Charlie Marquez, who also captured the Turf Starter Handicap to kick off the Maryland Million program. The winning time for the Nursery was 1:10.51 over a fast main track.

“It was not an easy race, especially with the [post] position we had today. The [rail] position is really hard, especially with [14] horses and a lot of horses that have speed,” Gonzalez said. “The good thing about Charlie is, he listens. He warmed up the horse really good, he broke and rushed up and took the lead, and he did the right thing. He stayed on the rail and he won the race.”

A maiden special weight winner July 31 at historic Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., where he also led from start to finish, Buff Hello entered the Nursery off a sixth-place finish in the one-mile Sapling Sept. 5 at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. Marquez wasted no time getting the Buffum colt involved, hustling to the front and posting fractions of :22.12 and :45.21 with Hickory Tree winner Local Motive and narrow 7-2 favorite Mr. Mox alternating in second.

Buff Hello remained in command as the field straightened for home and was set down for a drive by Marquez, opening up after going five furlongs in :57.62. Coastal Mission came with a run on the far outside to edge Local Motive by a neck for second, with Buff Hello's stablemate, Shady Munni, another 2 ½ lengths back in fourth.

“He had the blinkers on and I know, watching the replays, he kind of looked like a little lazy of a lazy horse, so we warmed him up good. I sent him out of there and he's the kind of horse you have to keep on going the whole way. He really dug in deep today,” Marquez said. “I got headed at the top of the stretch but I knew that I had a lot of horse, and coming to the wire was a great feeling.”

Buff Hello was purchased for $26,000 as a yearling last fall at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium, Md. He was making his Laurel debut after racing twice each at Monmouth and Pimlico, where he was beaten a neck in a July 11 maiden special weight by Mr. Mox.

“I was really confident with both my horses in here. [Shady Munni got] bumped really hard in the gate and that's why he finished fourth. But, doesn't happen maybe he's there, too,” Gonzalez said. “Buff Hello, all the time he showed he had talent, that's why I gave him a chance in the stake at Monmouth. That day we didn't get lucky, but today he proved he had talent.”

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Races in this weekend's rundown are listed in chronological order (all times Eastern). Full previews, when available, can be found through the link for each race.

TVG will feature racing from Keeneland, Santa Anita, Gulfstream Park, Laurel Park, Woodbine and more. Fans can tune in on TVG, TVG2 and the Watch TVG app which is available on Amazon Fire, Roku and connected Apple TV devices.

“America's Day at the Races” will be broadcasting live from Belmont Park on Saturday, Oct. 23 on FS2 from 12:30 – 5:30 pm. On Sunday, Oct. 24, “America's Day at the Races” will broadcast from Belmont Park on FS2 from 12:30 – 2:00 pm and on FS1 from 2:00 – 5:30 pm.

Friday, October 22

4:44 PM ET – $150,000 Sycamore Stakes (Gr. 3T) at Keeneland on TVG

Trainer Mac Robertson sends out morning line favorite Two Emmys in the 1 ½ mile Sycamore Stakes (G3T), a race that attracted a field of 12. The Kentucky-bred gelded son of English Channel has not raced since upsetting odds-on favorite Domestic Spending (GB) in Arlington's Mr. D Stakes (G1T), formerly known as the Arlington Million. Two Emmys finished second in a 2019 starter allowance race in his only previous Keeneland start. Glynn County, trained by Mike Maker, finished third in the aforementioned Mr. D and third in the Calumet Turf Cup (G2T) last out. The Kentucky-bred son of Kitten's Joy will start from the rail.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE102221USA8-EQB.html

Saturday, October 23

1:55 PM ET – $150,000 Hendrie Stakes (G3) at Woodbine on TVG

Six fillies and mares are scheduled to contest the 6 ½ furlong Hendrie Stakes on Woodbine's All-Weather Track. Our Secret Agent, trained by Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse, is the morning line favorite. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Secret Circle is winless in four 2021 starts but has hit the board in three graded stakes races this year at Woodbine. Amalfi Coast (ON), winner of Woodbine's G3T Ontario Fashion Stakes most recently for trainer Kevin Attard, is expected to be the main challenger.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO102321CAN3-EQB.html

4:21 PM ET – $200,000 Nobel Damsel (G3T) at Belmont Park on FS2

High Opinion just missed in the G2 Ballston Spa Stakes in her most recent start for trainer Anthony Dutrow and leads a field of 10 fillies and mares in the one-mile G3T Noble Damsel. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Lemon Drop Kid will make her 10th career start and her second graded stakes start. Trainers Chad Brown and Shug McGaughey each have two entries in the Noble Damsel, with the former having won the race five times.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL102321USA8-EQB.html

4:52 PM ET – $400,000 Hill Prince Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park on FS2

Eleven 3-year-olds are set to run in the nine-furlong Hill Prince over Belmont's inner turf course. Never Surprised, trained by Hall of Fame conditioner Todd Pletcher and owned by Repole Stable, has a lifetime record of 4-2-2-0, with two graded stakes placings in two 2021 starts. The Kentucky-bred Constitution colt was last seen after a seven-month layoff in Saratoga's G3T Saranac Stakes where Public Sector (GB) prevailed by a length. That foe, trained by multiple Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown, also is entered in the Hill Prince and boasts three wins in five 2021 starts, including back to back graded stakes wins at Saratoga.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL102321USA9-EQB.html

5:16 PM ET – $250,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland on TVG

Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott has a powerful duo entered in the 13-horse Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run field, led by 3-1 morning line favorite Obligatory. The Kentucky-bred daughter of Curlin has a pair of Grade 1 stakes placings this year, including a second-place finish in the Cotillion Stakes on September 25. Mott also has Caramel Swirl, a daughter of Union Rags, entered. The Godolphin color bearer finished fourth as the odds-on favorite in the G3 Charles Town Oaks in her most recent start, and broke her maiden at Keeneland in April by 10 ¼ lengths.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE102321USA9-EQB.html

Sunday, October 24

4:12 PM ET – $150,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager Stakes (Gr. 3T) at Keeneland on TVG

Ten fillies and mares, including Grade 2 stakes winner Micheline, are entered for the 12-furlong Dowager Stakes. Trained by Michael Stidham for Godolphin, the Kentucky-bred Bernardini filly won the G2T Hillsborough Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs in March for her lone win in five 2021 starts. Florida-bred Key Biscayne won the listed Monroe Stakes at Gulfstream Park, a one-mile dirt contest in July originally scheduled for 1 1/16 miles on the turf. In her most recent start, the daughter of Brethren trained by Mike Maker placed second in a 1 1/8-mile allowance optional claiming race on Saratoga's inner turf course.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE102421USA7-EQB.html

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